It has been well documented that USC Head Coach Pete Carroll has never been a fan of the BCS, and on Tuesday, he voiced his displeasure for the system once again.
“I don't understand how the thing works,” Carroll said. “I don't really know.”
The Trojans dropped two places to seventh in the latest BCS standings following a 56-0 blowout victory over the Washington Huskies.
Carroll was stumped when asked by the media how his team could drop in the rankings after such a dominant performance.
“I don't think there's any explanation for it,” he said. “Maybe you guys will answer it for me one of these days.”
Carroll, who has been a strong proponent of having a playoff system to decide the national championship, said he is still unclear of the criteria for crowning a champion under the current system.
“What is the criteria of the process? Is it to pick the team that has the best season,” he said. “Or is it the best team at the end of the year, the team that would win a playoff system if you did have it?
“I don't really know what the design and the direction of the voting is pointed at.”
Carroll also expressed his concerns with the lack of accountability for those that put the system in place.
“The really interesting thing is who is making these decisions? You guys can't even talk to the people that are calling the shots,” Carroll told the media. “It's kind of like the Wizard of Oz: Somebody behind that screen there, but we don't know who it is.”
And what about all those computers?
“I don't know how the computer thing works. I don't get that part of it. I don't know how the computer knows how good another team is,” Carroll said. “I don't know how they can evaluate who you're playing.
“That's why I can't give it any concern because I don't know how it works.”
With the Pac-10 having a down year, the conference’s struggles have weakened USC’s strength of schedule, making it harder and harder for the one-loss Trojans to gain ground in the polls.
“It is what it is. We can only do what we can do,” said Carroll. “We can play the games we get on our schedule and do the best we can with them.”
Carroll has consistently said over the years that he doesn’t pay much attention to the BCS, instead focusing his energy on things that he can control, like winning the Pac-10 championship.
“Most importantly for us is to win this conference. That's what we're trying to get done,” Carroll insisted. “It's always been our goal.
“We're going to keep shooting at that as long as we're here because that is within our reach and our grasp and our control. The other thing (BCS) isn't obvious. If there was a playoff system, then it would be within everybody's control.”
The Trojans could receive a boost in the polls this week if they are able to get a convincing win over the No.21 California Golden Bears Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions you can reach Kevin Carden at kevin@scplaybook.com